A Pop Art Homage To Queen Elizabeth: Her Majesty’s Legacy Lives On

The whole of the UK is mourning and so is the rest of the world. It’s hard to imagine that the longest-reigning monarch will no longer be taking visits abroad, or be seen taking the royal corgis for a walk. But Queen Elizabeth II’s watch has ended.

It is said that the crown she wore weighed nearly two kilograms. But we’re sure that the sheer weight of responsibilities and the great expectations imposed on her in all 70 years of her reign was far heavier. She dared not look down, not only in fear that the crown might break her neck, but with the optimism that the country would see better days ahead.

As a tribute to the monarch, we have compiled 30+ of the best works of art dedicated to Queen Lilibet. Reckon she would fancy any of these?

An Eventful Reign

Seventy years ago, the UK was teeming with a lot of homeless people, a collapsed economy, and destroyed infrastructure. It wasn’t really the most promising start for a monarch, but somehow, Queen Elizabeth managed to finish strong. Just how did she do it?

Well it helped that the UK was a key player in the victory of the Allied Powers. People thought differently of the Brits back then. And it was this camaraderie and resilience that helped shape the country in the decades to come.

The TV Series

Netflix has made a lot of hit TV series and documentaries. One of them had been The Crown. The first actress to portray the Queen during her ascent to the throne was Claire Foy. Now, Queen Lilibet and Foy may not be sisters, but they do like it in the portrait below.

It’s pretty uncanny, isn’t it? The Queen was quite the looker in her youth with her brown hair, slender figure, and striking blue eyes. Even without the title, she looked regal in every right. The crown was just there to complete the look.

Straight Out of A Comic Book

Children’s tales and comic books may be made-up, but there are some parts that mimic reality. That is what makes them so relatable. Well, in this alternate universe, Queen Elizabeth II also exists. And she’s colored in after a few rough sketches.

How do you think this story will end, and who will be the savior? For only a nickle, you’ll find out. You can pick from any of the following heroes: a caped vigilante, a kid shooting cobwebs out of his wrists, or a female monarch. We’re choosing the last.

Back to the ’50s

We don’t know what happened to this vibrant art movement, but we think it should re-emerge! Seventy years is enough time for pop art style to look novel in the eyes of the public, especially if pop artists draw inspiration from Queen Elizabeth II.

One thing we love about pop art is that it doesn’t only resonate with the rich or the masses. It holds appeal to everyone. You can draw inspiration from just about anyone or anything and then use a palette of colors to convey vibrancy.

Old School

Try as we might, we always struggled with making art. Other people, like professional artist Yuliia Dzhurenko, made it look so easy. They could spend days at a time perfecting their work whereas we would come up with scribbles and stickmen.

But she says, she started off the same as we did, only she had the passion and the vision to get better at the job. She may have started off drawing stick monarchs, but now she can sketch them in with crayons and oil pastels.

With Love, The Queen

This is a classic. We remember our moms and aunts scraping postage stamps off of envelopes. The rarer the stamp, the better. You might be wondering what people do with them. Some rake in money selling them, and some make money…

…making art off of them. This is quite the beauty, isn’t it? It’s just a mosaic of the Queen herself placed on dozens of letters delivered around the UK for the past few decades. Some of these letters brought heartbreak, some cold sweat, and others pure joy.

“Did You See My Bracelet?”

Jane Perkins had to endure being hounded by her sister, “have you seen my bracelet?” She briefly looks up at the girl and then bends back down to focus on her artwork. Little by little it took the shape of the late Queen.

Her sister may have never known where her bracelets went, but we do. Don’t worry Jane, we aren’t the snitches that other people are. Besides, those bracelets have been put to good use — pasted on this canvas instead of worn around some girl’s wrists.

The Royal Family

It was a cloudy day. The sky promised heavy rain upon those who wouldn’t scatter. But the people remained glued to the streets. They wanted to see the Queen and the royal family in person. It was a rare opportunity to see them up close.

In a couple of minutes, a man with a bellowing voice announced the arrival of the Queen. You could hear audible gasps as she shuffled to the balcony to wave her hand at the common folk. And beside her stood the royal family, tails wagging in the air.

Her Majesty’s Secret

Besides the obvious glamour of the palace and the royalty, people knew very little of life behind the high walls. The late queen had many secrets. Some of which were personal and most of which were just perks of the job.

Unlike the lot of us who seek therapy for personal problems, the Queen and the royal family have nowhere else but to retreat to the high walls. Dirty laundry was never aired outside. After all, everyone was just playing a role in the job they were born to.

Lady Serene

If you looked at pictures of Queen Elizabeth II as a young lady, you would see that she was reserved but charismatic. Over time, that eagerness was replaced by placid calm and a serene resolve to put the crown first above anything or anyone else.

Can you imagine what it must have felt like, being born into royalty and being groomed for a position you would have to uphold until your death? Most of us can’t even hold a job for longer than a year, yet she managed seven decades of it.

Hate the Alphabet

Just like artfinder, we never liked studying rhetoric and good grammar. Why bother studying something you use nearly every day? During one of those soul-crushing lessons, artfinder had a vision, tore out a page, and drew this hyperrealist image of the Queen.

And instead of being covered with lace, gold-trimmed cloth, and silk, Queen Elizabeth II is ridden with serpentine icons, tattoos, and skulls. She is more captivating than ever with the crown on her head and red rouge over her lips.

Keeping Things Simple

Does art have to be complicated? No. Take it from Kaeli. She drew inspiration from the UK flag. It’s safe to say that people will always find symmetrical patterns striking, especially if you draw the silhouette of the late Queen in front of it.

This artist didn’t want to use a black flag that typically signifies death or an ending. She wanted to pay tribute to the service of a monarch while staying hopeful that the country would survive her passing. The crown must (and will) live on.

Long Live the Queens

Thanks to this art piece by 909art we can pay tribute to both of King George V’s daughters. Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Margaret, look much alike with their brown hair and blue eyes. But whereas Queen Lilibet was stoic and serene, Margaret was…

…fabulous and attention-seeking. It seems like both halves can be seen in this graffiti. Normally, the police would wash it down with pressurized water soon after spotting graffiti, but this tribute might stay on the walls longer than usual in this landlord’s apartment.

All About the Texture

We would say this next piece almost looks like it had been done by a grade-schooler, but if you would observe the UK flag in the background, you would know that this was done by a professional painter. The texture says it all.

Queen Elizabeth almost looks like she had been sketched in. The outlines of her face and hair were drawn by what looks like a marker. In contrast, the UK flag, with its clean lines, was made with splotches of paint.

Best Feature

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth received her first pet corgi when she was 18? King George V gave it to her. She has cared for nearly 30 of them, all tracing their roots from Susan, the first corgi she had gotten before her ascent to the throne.

She had always dreaded the thought of losing her first corgi, Susan, who fortunately enough didn’t suffer and had a quick death. We can only guess it’s the same pet that sits by her side in the plush cushions of the afterlife.

Digital Art

Lately, there has been a massive hype to buy and collect NFTs. You might have amassed some yourself, or better yet, you could score some. All you need is to unleash your creativity by capturing portraits or even designing digital art such as the one below.

We don’t really know what the Queen would feel about this portrait, but we’re sure that this image of the queen drawn by Daniel Morgenstern would rake in a considerable amount of money in the digital space. You could even sell a video of yourself creating art like these as NFT.

From the People of Wales

Why does the UK flag have the color red on it? Might it symbolize power, strength, or royalty? Well, the people weigh in on the matter. Apart from those mentioned, it also signifies Saint George, the patron saint of England and Wales.

Queen Elizabeth herself had fond memories of Wales. She had first visited it with her parents just after the Second World War. And while a Queen, she received flowers from survivors of Aberfan. She has frequented Wales from her Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

She Is the Champion

We have always been fascinated by UK culture. It helps that they have royalty, biscuits and tea, and rock bands such as Queen that have sold over 300 million records worldwide. Not to mention, we absolutely stan their snobbish accent!

One of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite songs was Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Who wouldn’t love the 1977 classic, with its thumping bass and crazy guitar riffs? She even closed a sketch by tapping a teacup to the beat of the song.

The Regal Question…

After Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, everyone was abuzz with all these questions. When will Prince Charles be crowned the King and most importantly, what will happen to Queen Lilibet’s corgis? It’s a matter of national concern, if you might not believe it.

These fluffy four-legged critters would always accompany her during official tours (including her honeymoon) and even sleep in her room. Their sheets would be changed daily, and they could get away with nipping at the ankle of some important guest.

Doing A Cameo

You know you have hit it big when you play a small character of yourself in a play, a movie, or a TV series… especially if you appear on The Simpsons. It should be expected of the Queen, but we can’t help replaying this one episode on the show.

Remember that one episode Homer drove into the Queen’s golden carriage on the grounds of Buckingham Palace? If only Homer hadn’t driven himself into that roundabout and taken a risk to get out of it. That trip to the UK would have remained entirely uneventful.

Two Much-Loved Characters

Paddington Bear is one of the UK’s treasures. Whether it’s children or their parents, many still look to live a life of adventure through the eyes of the fictional character. Just recently, Paddington went to Windsor Castle to pay his respects.

But instead of grieving, there he met the Queen. Paddington shared what mischiefs he had been up to and the Queen, unable to control herself, decided she wanted in on the adrenaline rush. Together the two walked towards a hopeful ending.

Over the Ages

If you look at her pictures close enough, you can see a glimmer of curiosity and hope in the young Queen Lilibet’s eyes. But over time, that had been replaced by somewhat callous humor and even a healthy sense of cynicism.

As she put it, “the world is not the most pleasant place.” And we totally agree! It’s a dog-eat-dog world and people can be very unforgiving. People act in their own self-interest. So, as the Queen puts it, “sometimes…you have to kick some a**.”

If NFTs Existed in the 90s

We remember the ’90s as a decade of digital advancement and expression. Sure, we remember having the computer take minutes at a time booting up and then flashing us grainy, pixelated images, so much that it kind of looked like a mosaic.

And while the art piece above may not be pixelated, it can pass for ’90s pop art. It’s a mix of the abstract, retro, and even hip hop. All that is left is text in all caps and in different colors stating that it was better in the ’90s!

Need A Hobby

While the citizens may not have personally known the Queen, they looked at her fondly as the symbol of UK sovereignty. Also, she was a world-class model for women at a time ruled by men. So it’s easy to see why many are grieving her passing.

Portrait artist Alfie Glover thought to spend his hours painting away in his flat. He couldn’t get his mind off the news he had just heard. Maybe it had to do with being an artist. He felt and cared deeply for strangers.

From The Award-winning Artist

Next on the list, we have an art piece designed by the award-winning mosaic artist, Ed Chapman. You might have come across some of his artwork before if you had been around in the ’90s. He creates portraits using vinyl, record coins, bullet cases, paper, and even ceramic tiles.

Can you guess what he used for this image? It’s pretty mind-boggling, how playing with different shades of an item can create a three-dimensional masterpiece such as this. With so many items around, it’s near impossible for him to run out of materials to craft a mosaic.

Love for the Abstract

Of all the art forms, we had always struggled to interpret abstractions. Not only would you interpret the meaning from the shape, lines, form, and colors used, but the context within which the art piece was made. In more ways than one, death is like an abstraction.

Abstract is understood as the separation of something from a greater whole. And while Queen Elizabeth may have been taken from this world, her abstract advocacies and contributions to the country continue to live on. How do you interpret the art piece above?

Pretty Confident

You might think that posting your work online is a no-brainer. People can readily download them, print them, and worse, claim them as their own. But Russ Carts is confident that his artwork can be sold a hundred bucks apiece online.

Each piece looks as amazing as this. Anyone who doesn’t pay Russ Carts the value of his work, much less give him credit for it, is a bum. This artist definitely deserves the acclaim and you can help him by sharing his work on your feed.

Keeping Things Simple

Compared to the other artworks on the list, we wouldn’t usually give this one so much a passing glance. But if you look closer you will see that the splotches where the red and blue meet actually make up the outline of a British lion. Pretty neat, huh?

Think of it as a Venn diagram. Both the Queen and the lion are known for their cool, confident demeanor. They may be surrounded by others who believe themselves more capable of the crown, but only she happens to wield the authority competently.

Support this Ukrainian Artist

Who knew that out of the icy ruins of Ukraine, there might actually be some sliver of hope? Look no further than Ukrainian artist Darina who creates handmade brooches of Frida Kahlo, Geralt of Rivia, and the late Queen Elizabeth II.

It’s an exquisite hodgepodge of embroidery and beads. If you fancy yourself wearing one of these to a lunch out with friends, then we suggest you check out her Instagram profile or her Etsy account. If you find her pieces a tad expensive, just buy her coffee.

Sounds Like Us

This next one looks like a page out of a children’s book. It’s vividly drawn and you can imagine it glistening even without a sheen of glitter or light. Ibrahim sure knows how to create a digital painting with his sketchpad.

Trust us, you will want to view his Instagram page. But that is only second to the short bio he has written. He claims that he is “just another person dealing with his own demons while trying to do something meaningful by art.” Sounds like us, Ibrahim. Sounds like us…

Homecoming Queen

This snapshot looks like something out of a high school yearbook. Slather on some glue on the back and then smack it in the center on a new page. Write the date below with the caption, “Queen Lilibet, who was more than just a pretty face.“

Did you say pet lover? You may not believe it but she has raised over 30 corgis in her lifetime. She has been served by nearly 15 council presidents and is the only kick-butt chick who can drive a car without a license. Talk about driving with influence.

Comic Book Reality

Brace yourself. Of all the art pieces we have seen on the list, this is by far the most depressing. Might it have to do with the stark contrast of Queen Elizabeth against the rich colors of the UK flag behind her?

Of course, death will come for us all. It’s the only true black against the gray realities of the world. But we can’t grasp the idea that we will never see the Queen walking her corgis again, or stepping out unto the balcony to greet the common folk.

Read Your Book Reports

The bell rings and we sling our backpacks before rushing into class. We manage to slide into our seats with Mrs. Begum’s back turned towards us. You might think that she didn’t see you, but she knows who’s late for class and who isn’t.

But not to worry, Mrs. Begum is a very understanding primary school teacher. She will not only help you learn your ABCs, she will also help you prop up an easel, create your secondary and tertiary colors, and then encourage you to paint.

Play with Water and Ink

Just one look at this design and we can tell — Stina Persson is the artist to beat when it comes to using watercolor and ink. She uses thick brushes, dips them in a jar of water, and then a small bottle of ink. Then she haphazardly scribbles on a canvas…

…sometimes she takes her time to allow the ink to spread out on the paper. That’s how she creates the lighter hues. She draws a portrait of the Queen using negative space. Just how many artists have you seen do that?

Another Contender

Just when we thought Stina Persson was the artist to beat, we meet another contender. Ola Sher is a part-time fashion illustrator and psychologist. That must be the reason why we find this piece of art very therapeutic to look at.

And the good news is that we don’t have to pay the shrink for this therapy. You can take all the time that you want staring into this portrait of the Queen, filling out the minute details on your own. It takes your mind off the stress, doesn’t it?

All Boils Down To

We always struggled with art. Whereas our classmates scored top marks for their creativity, we couldn’t bring ourselves to properly shade a circle. There were so many techniques available and, unfortunately, we couldn’t even get one right. Hatching, stippling, blending, you name it — we failed at it!

But no, not Bukashka. This artist only has to draw a line and then use zig zags and contouring to get the job done. It’s very simple to look at, but we can’t wrap our heads around the fact that she drew a side portrait of the queen with just a handful of shading techniques!

Shading Artist To Beat

The next three artworks look similar to each other. But study each carefully, and tell us which of the three you like the most. First up, is this masterpiece from Instagram user Panagiwths Bech. He likes to color in using the hatching and crosshatching method.

We remember having used these methods way back in high school. But with the right method, you could make fine artwork like this fashion and graphic designer. Imagine what else he can do with a ruler and a 0.5 pen.

Self-Taught

Next up we have this Belgian self-taught artist, Kris Aertgeerts. If you check his Instagram account, you will be met with an interesting bio. It seems that Kris had given up art and only resumed creating it after three decades. It seems like the death of an icon hits common folk hard.

If it was the death of George Michael that stirred Kris into drawing again, imagine what the death of Queen Elizabeth II had stirred other people into doing. We can only hope it impelled them to do something positive in their lives.

Last But Not Least

Last, but certainly not least, we have this portrait of the Queen drawn in intricate workmanship. There are a couple of pencil shading techniques used to create depth, and you will see her overlaid with what looks to be tendrils.

Whereas before, the Queen struggled to balance the interests of the crown and the people, the years on the job helped her grow out of it. The crown and the people are one and the same, and it might have a lot to do with the changing times.

Her Majesty

Her majesty’s real name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. Upon ascent to the throne, she was given the choice to pick her regal name. Being the practical woman that she is, she decided to name herself after Mary, Queen of Scots, otherwise known as Elizabeth I of England.

Her family wasn’t even next in line to carry the crown. But since her uncle, Edward VIII abdicated the throne in favor of her father, she became next in line. Imagine how vastly different history would have turned out if she hadn’t become Queen. We can’t think of anyone who could have done it better.